This list is a collection over time of words found in Danish church books, as an aid in transcribing and translating those genealogical records. It consists mostly of the older spellings of Danish words, and for the most part does not include the simpler words (from, on, town, his, year, farmer, and so on), nor words that are obviously very similar in English (blind, familie).
If there are two spellings in an entry, the first is usually the older.
Examples of a word’s usage are given where helpful or interesting; these are in italics, and are indented under the definition of the main word.
Plurals and definite article forms are indicated in parentheses following the English.
The letters æ, ø and å are distinct letters, and are filed in that order after z. Note that “aa” is usually the same as “å”, and thus is filed after z.
If you don’t find a word in the list alphabetically, try the “search” tool on your keyboard, as adjectives etc. may be defined under the noun it modifies. (See, for example, the definitions under kundskab.)
Also included are place names for Thisted amt (county), including spelling variations, though mostly for Vestervig parish.
Please feel free to offer corrections, alternative translations, elaborations, etc. in the comments at the end of each section!
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Adbøl = village in Vestervig parish
afdøde, afd. = deceased
afgangen, afg. = deceased, lit. “gone away, departed”
afgangsliste = list of those people leaving the parish
aftægtskone, aftg. = female pensioner; a retiree or pensioner, specifically someone dependent on the care of others
aftægtsmand, aftg. = male pensioner; a retiree or pensioner, specifically someone dependent on the care of others
alderdomssvaghed = weakness of old age
almisse = alms
almisselem = pauper
amme = nurse
amt = county
anden, 2den = the second
“anden gang,” the second time
anfald = seizures
anført = mentioned
“ikke anført,” not mentioned
apopleksi = apoplexy, stroke
apoteker = pharmacist
arbejdsmand = unskilled labourer
arving, arvinger, a. = heir (arvinger, heirs)
Ashøje = village in Vestervig parish
Astrup = village in Vestervig parish
Astrup Mark = village in Vestervig parish
attende, 19de = eighteenth
attest = certificate
bager = baker
barn, b. = child (barnet, the child; børn, children)
barselseng = childbirth, lit., “childbed”
beboere = residents
bedsteforældre = grandparents
Bedsted = parish in Thisted
begravet = buried
betler = beggar
blegsot = chlorosis
blodgang = dysentery
bo, boet, boede = reside
boel = small farm
boelsmand = small-holder
boende = residing
bopæl = residence
borgmester = mayor
broder, bror = brother (brødre, brothers)
broderdatter = niece, lit. ”brother’s daughter”
brodersøn = nephew, lit. “brother’s son”
brok = hernia
brud = bride (bruden, the bride)
brudevielse = married
bryllup, brøllup = wedding
brudgom = bridegroom
brygger = brewer
Braagaard = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Brogaard)
Bubbel Mark = village in Vestervig parish
buntmager = furrier
bygning = building
byld = abscess
byskriver = town clerk
bødker = cooper
børnebørn = grandchildren (generic)
børstenbinder = brushmaker
bøssemager = gunsmith
baaret = carried (see frembaaret)
civilstand = marital status
confirmand, konfirmand = confirmant (confirmanden, the confirmant)
confirmerede, konfirmerede = confirmations
copulerede, kopulerede = marriages (see also viende and ægteviede)
dagleier, daglejer = day laborer
dagleierske, daglejerske = day laborer (female)
datter = daughter (døtre, daughters)
degn = parish clerk
diarrhoe, diaré = diarrhea
Dield = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Djeld)
difteri, difteritis = diptheria
domkirke = cathedral
dragon = dragoon
drejer = turner
dreng = boy; used for male children and unmarried youths
drengbarn = boy baby
druknet = drowned
dræbt = killed
dødfødt = stillborn
dødsårsag = cause of death
døv = deaf
daab, dåb = baptism/christening
“Daaben i Kirken confirmeret,” baptism confirmed in the church (used after a home baptism)
daabsattest, dåbsattest = certificate of baptism
efter = after
efterlevende = deceased’s surviving kin, lit. “[those who] live after”
efternavn = surname
-eier, -ejer = owner
ejusd = Latin “ejusdem”, of the same
ellevte, 11te = eleventh
engelsk syge = richitis, rickets, vitamin D deficiency
enke, e., en. = widow
enkemand, enkm. = widower
enkestand = widowhood
eodem Die, Eod. die = L. “the same day”
erhverv = business, occupation, trade
“uden bestemt Erhverv,” without specific occupation/trade
Ettrup = in Vestervig parish?
fadder = sponsor at christening (faddere, sponsors; faddernes, the sponsors)
fader, far = father (fædre, fathers)
falde = fall; killed in war
farbroder = paternal uncle, lit. ”father’s brother”
farfader = paternal grandfather, lit. “father’s father”
farmoder = paternal grandmother, lit. “father’s mother”
faster = paternal aunt, lit. “father’s sister”
farver = dyer
fattig = poor, indigent
fattiggaard, fattiggård = poorhouse
fattighus = poorhouse
fattiglem = pauper
feber = ague, fever
feltskærer = barber-surgeon
femte, 5te = fifth
femtende, 15de = fifteenth
fisker = fisherman
fjerde, 4de = fourth
fjortende, 14de = fourteenth
Fladskier = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Fladskær)Floule = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Flovlev)
Foldbjerg Høj = village in Vestervig parish
folketælling, F.T. = census
forblødning = bleeding to death
forhen = formerly, previously
forlover = witness at a wedding, best man (forlovere, witnesses)
formynder, f.m., fm = tutor
fornavn = first name
forrette = (to) perform
“Vielsen forrettet i Ingstrup Kirke,” wedding performed in Ingstrup church
forriges kone = previous wife
forstoppelse = constipation
forsørges af = provided by
forældre = parents (forældrene = the parents)
fosterbarn = fosterchild
fraskilt = divorced
frembaaren = borne by (at a christening)
“frembaaren af,” borne by [the godparent(s)]
“frembaaren til Daaben af,” borne to the christening by [the godparent(s)]
frue = Mrs. (not used of peasant women)
fruentimmer = lady or young woman (fruentimmeret, the young woman), often an unwed mother
“offentlig(e) fruentimmer,” prostitute
Frydendal = village in Vestervig parish
frøken, frk. = Miss (title)
fæstebrev, f.b., fb =
fæstegård = copyhold (farm)
-fæster = secure tenant (e.g. gaardfæster, gårdfæster = tenant farmer)
fætter = male cousin
fød, * = born (fødte, was born)
The star or asterisk symbol is often found on gravestones and stands for “born”, while the cross or plus stands for “died”
født, f. = born, née
fødesogn = native parish (“birth-parish”)
fødeby = native town (“birth-town”)
første, 1ste = first
faaresyge = mumps
galle = tumor
gangræna = gangrene
gartner = gardener
garver = tanner
geworbne = enlisted
Giersbøl = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Gjersbøl)
Giettrup = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Gettrup)
gift = married
“gift med, g.m.,” married to
“første gang gift,” first time married, in first marriage
gigt = rheumatism, gout
Ginderup = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Ginnerup)
Gjærup, Gjerup = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Gærup)
glarmester = glazier
Gramstrup = village in Vestervig parish
Grurup = parish in Thisted
Grøndtoft = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Grøntoft)
Gudenis = place in Hassing district (modern spelling: Gudnæs)
guldsmed = goldsmith
gulsot = jaundice, icterus, chlorosis
Gydkær = village in Vestervig parish
gæstgiver = innkeeper
gørtler = brass moulder
gaard, gård = farm
“driver Gaarden,” runs the farm
gaardeier, gårdejer, gdjr., grd. = farm owner
gaardejerske = farm owner (female)
gaardfæster, gårdfæster = tenant farmer
Gaardhusmølle = village in Vestervig parish
gaardkone, gårdkone = farmer’s wife
gaardmand, gårdmand, gmd. = farmer (gaardmændene = the farmers)
